Menasseh Ben Israel (1604-1657) has entered history as the champion of the readmission of the Jews to England. But his fame as a prodigious scholar was established throughout the literary world, including non-Jewish circles, by hisConciliador

As the title of this magnum opus indicates, its purpose is to reconcile the apparent contradictions in numerous passages throughout the Bible. To achieve this aim, the author utilized an astounding range of sources; primarily the Talmud and the classic Jewish commentaries but frequently quotes from the early Christian authorities as well as Greek and Latin authors of antiquity.

Written in Spanish, it was aimed primarily to strengthen the faith of the Marranos in the veracity of the Holy Scriptures according to Jewish interpretation. Inthe English translation the value of the Conciliator was further enhanced by the addition of explanatory notes and short biographies of the authorities quoted. To this new edition have been added the original Hebrew approbations of the Frankfurt Bet-Din. Professor Elisheva Carlebach has contributed a new Introduction.